


From afar...

by orphan_account



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Bathroom advice is best advice., But neither one knows the other wants them., Feels, M/M, Niki Lauda is a matchmaker, They both want eachother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-16
Updated: 2014-07-16
Packaged: 2018-02-09 01:52:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1964445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From the tumblr prompt: "Fic material if you still want some. Kimi and Seb are secretly in love. The only downside? Kimi is already in a relationship with someone else/another driver." </p><p>Seb is deeply in love with Kimi, and Kimi is deeply in love with Seb. The thing is, neither knows that the other shares their feelings. Kimi is already in a relationship, and they both need a little push from the other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	From afar...

Sebastian Vettel looked longingly at the Ferrari paddock, hoping to catch a glimpse of the object of his affections. Finally he walked out of the paddock, the most beautiful person Seb had ever laid eyes on, Kimi-Matias Räikkönen. Seb had been smitten with him from the first time he had ever seen him. His teenaged brain not being able to forget the gruff, blunt, Finn. Then Seb saw the object of his all consuming hatred, Valtteri Bottas. The Finn who had stolen his Finn. He hated him, he hated that Kimi didn’t love him back, he hated himself for not winning Kimi. They were friends but Seb knew that Kimi didn’t want anything else. 

“Drooling over Kimi again mate?” Daniel asked, coming over to sit next to Seb. 

“No, I’m just...sitting here, thinking about uh, The Canadian Grand Prix. I want to improve this time, get podium.” Seb answered. 

“Really? Dude you can’t lie to me, and you know that. You’re looking at Kimi, and fuming over how much you hate Bottas. I came over here to cheer you up, it’s depressing seeing you like this mate.” 

“I just, I wish he liked me back you know? But I’m mad at myself for expecting more. It’s maddening. I’m just not what he wants I guess.”

“If you keep thinking like this, you’re going to end up insane. Have you ever even asked if he’s interested?”

“It’s too late now.”

“You know what you need mate? A bit of bar hopping, a bunch of us drivers are going out drinking tonight, why don’t you come along? Some time away from the track will do you good.”

“Alright. I guess you’re right.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kimi walked out of the Ferrari garage, waiting for Valtteri to catch up. He looked over to the Red Bull area, hoping to catch a glimpse of Sebastian. Kimi never told anyone this, but he was in love with the other driver. Even though he knew that Seb didn’t love him back. He had tried to fill the feeling, dating Valtteri helped, but there were times where he would feel awful, since the other Finn seemed so smitten with Kimi, but Kimi couldn’t return the feeling. In Kimi had been in love with Seb since he had first saw the kid, when was only sixteen. He had made friends with him, but it was obvious that Seb didn’t like him in that way. Leading Kimi to try to find someone else.

“Hey handsome man.” Valtteri flirted, walking up to Kimi. 

“Hey, Valt. How was your practice?” Kimi replied, letting himself be brought into a kiss, glad that mirrored sunglasses didn’t reveal the fact that his eyes were open, and still looking at Seb, who was now joined with Ricciardo. 

“Would have been better with you there watching.”

“Sorry, the engineers needed me, they tweaked the cockpit and had to make sure I still fit in it semi comfortably.”

“Comfortably always being a relative term. That somehow reminds me! A bunch of us are going out for drinks tonight, do you want to come?” 

“Sure, sounds fun.”

Kimi didn’t really want to go out, but the prospect of drinking to get Seb out of his mind for a little while was...well it was better than nothing. He looked over to the Red Bull garage one more time, noticing that Seb was gone. Hopefully later he would be gone from Kimi’s mind. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This had been a bad idea, a very bad idea, and Seb could only blame Daniel. Kimi was here, with Valtteri. There were actually not as many people here as he thought there was going to be, besides him, Daniel, Kimi, and Valtteri, there was Sergio, Jenson, Kevin, Lewis, Nico, and for some reason, Niki Lauda. Most likely to make sure Lewis and Nico didn’t drink too much. Seemed to Seb kind of an odd choice for baby sitter but, whatever. They were all sitting around a table. After a while Seb went to the bathroom, a bit drunk and not wanting to look at Valtteri and Kimi anymore. He didn’t even have to piss. He just stood there in front of a mirror until someone came in. He looked over, seeing Niki Lauda. The man was giving him a judging look. 

“It’s hard seeing the one you love with someone else right?” He asked leaning against the wall. 

“I don’t know what you mean sir.” Seb answered, looking at the floor. 

“Do I have to spell it out for you kid? You seeing Kimi with Valtteri.” 

“It doesn’t matter, he doesn’t like me back.”

“Have you even asked him?”

“Well, n-no, but I mean there would be signs wouldn’t there? 

“It’s not always painted out in black and white. Listen, I am going to tell you something that not very many people know, and then you’re going to keep your mouth shut about it after. You know my rivalry with James Hunt right?” 

“Of course.”

“Well what most people don’t know is that we were madly in love with each other. But we didn’t know the other person was. You want to know how I found out he loved me?”

“How?” Seb’s eyes were wide with antici…pation.

“I received a letter when he died, he revealed that he had been in love with me since Formula Three. I can tell kid, Kimi has it bad for you, don’t repeat the mistakes of the past, tell him, and he’ll tell you...Just do it when that Valtteri kid isn’t around. But don’t wait forever.” With that Niki put his hand on Seb’s shoulder, leading him out. “Now get out, I have to piss.” 

Seb stood outside the bathroom dumbfounded. Not only that Niki Lauda had just given him romantic advice, but that the man had also been in love with James Hunt. He seemed sad before the bathroom talk, was it because of Kimi and Seb? Seb remembered something though. It was some anniversary of something that had to do with one of the two. It wasn’t the crash at Nurburgring. He quickly took out his phone, looking up Niki, but finding nothing. He then looked up James, and he realized that today was the anniversary of James’s death. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kimi sat grumpily at the table, seeing Seb walking up looking dumbfounded. He sat down taking his drink and downing it in one go. He looked at Valtteri, who was talking to Sergio in broken english, thanks to the alcohol. Kimi whispered in his ear that he had to go to the bathroom, and that he’d be right back. He got up, walking there. When he got in he was met with Niki Lauda, standing, arms crossed, and leaning against the sinks. 

“It’s had filling that void with a different person, isn’t it?” He asked. 

“What void? Valtteri isn’t filling a void.” 

“Cut the shit kid. We both know who you really love, and it definitely isn’t that Finish Kid. It’s Sebastian.” 

“Well you know what? Seb doesn’t like me back so I don’t see why we’re having this conversation.” 

“Do you kids today know anything!? Of course he likes you back dumb-ass. The signs are sll over his face. The way he looks at you, the way he interacts with you. Stop stringing Bottas along, and ask Seb about it.”

“Why do you even care? Nothing I’ve ever read about you mentions you like to play matchmaker.” 

“I don’t want you to repeat the mistakes of the past. You’re a big fan of James right? Racing under his name, wanting to be like him right?” 

“Yeah. What of it?” 

“I want you to look at something.” Niki pulled something out of his pocket, a letter written in nice cursive. “Read it.” 

“To my little Rat on the event of my death,

Well Ratty, if you’re reading this I won the race to the grave, not something I really wanted to win but, that’s life...Or death. I wrote this and gave it to my lawyer to admit something. I love you Niki, I love you with every bit of my heart, I have since Formula Three. I think you’re the most beautiful creature that I’ve ever laid eyes on,” Kimi handed the letter back, not wanting to read the personal stuff. 

“Not wanting to read too far?” Niki asked. 

“No one had any idea, not even you?”

“I loved him too, I just didn’t think that James loved me back. I knew he was bisexual, you don’t live with someone in a flat for an entire year without finding that shit out, but I didn’t think he loved me back, I mean you’ve seen pictures, I looked like a fucking rat, I was even more rude back then. Don’t wait till it’s too late kid, go after Seb, tell him your feelings, trust me , he shares them. I don’t want you to end up like me, filling the void the love of your life left for the rest of your life.” 

Kimi surprised himself by hugging the older man. Even further surprised when Niki returned it. He pulled away and thanked Niki before leaving. He realized something outside the door.He realized why Niki had probably done this tonight, and why he was at the bar drinking. Today was the anniversary of James’s death. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Valtteri, can I talk to you?” Kimi asked, it was the next day and they were at the garages. Kimi knew that what he was about to do had to be gotten out of the way as soon as possible. He led the other Finn into a broom closet, shutting the door behind him. “I was doing some thinking, and although we have had fun I think it’s time that we went our separate ways. I don’t want to do a cliche here but, it’s not you, it’s definitely not you, it’s me.” 

“You’re in love with someone else.” Valtteri deadpanned.

“Yes, I am.” 

“I knew it, I was hoping it would work but I want you to be happy Kimi, and you’re not going to be happy with me. I don’t know who this other person is but they’re lucky.” Valtteri, pulled Kimi close and gave him a deep kiss, before pulling away. “I can’t say I didn’t feel something with you, that would be a lie, but it isn’t big enough where I can’t have you leave.” With that Valtteri left. Leaving a dumbfounded Kimi. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seb looked down at the note that he had received earlier that day. 

“Seb,

Meet me outside the Mercedes garage at 11pm.

-You’ll find out.”

Seb wondered who had sent it, and why they wanted to meet him at the Mercedes garage of all places. He walked slowly, the garages almost abandoned but lit up by the moon. The only noise from other cars. He did had a small flesh of hope that it was Kimi. But he knew that might be stupid to think. He was probably out snogging Valtteri, no matter what Mr. Lauda had said. No matter what yesterday had signified. He approached the garage and saw that it was all closed up for the night. He looked around, wanting to get back to the motorhome, as the night air seeped through his Red Bull hoodie. 

“I’m glad you came.” Seb’s head whipped around to see Kimi walk out of the shadows. 

“Kimi! Are you the one who invited me?” Seb asked.

“Yeah. I...I have something I want to tell you, and if you don’t feel the same please don’t hate me because I couldn’t take it. I...I love you Sebastian, I love you so much I can barely take it and I’ve loved you since I met you when you were a twinkish sixteen year old. I didn’t think that you shared my feelings but I thought that maybe I’d give it a shot.” Kimi looked at Seb who was just staring, not moving, not saying anything. For a moment he thought Seb had died but this was alleviated when Seb had tears begin to stream from his eyes and he practically tackled Kimi into a hug.

“I’ve loved you for so long Kimi I didn’t think you liked me back even a little bit. Everytime I saw you I thought that I would die because I wasn’t near you, because you didn’t love me. When I first saw you all those years ago I just thought how beautiful you were, I was smitten. But I thought ‘How could someone like him like a stupid brat like me? I love you so much Kimi I love you so much.” 

“I love you too I’m glad you love you back.” Then he mumbled to himself “I’m glad Niki was right.”

“Wait. Niki talked to you too? That son of a bitch! He’s amazing!” Seb laughed, but then got serious. “Wait what about Valtteri?” 

“I broke up with him today. So I am free to ask, Sebastian Vettel, will you go out with me?”

“Of course I will Kimi Raikkonen, Of course I will.” 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Across the way Niki watched the boys silently, smiling to himself. The kids had found each other, thus his work was done. He never wanted the past to repeat, that longing only confirmed when the other passed away. He looked up at the sky. Then felt a hand on his shoulder, looking back and seeing James, perfect and glowing with a grin on his face and heard him faintly say, “Good work Ratty.”

**Author's Note:**

> Liked this story? Like getting on the bus for a feels trip? Of course you do! That's why you read fanfiction! Then check me out on tumblr I am the formulaoneautor. Writing for you, for the feels, and for the porn.


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